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Commentary on Ezekiel 28 verses 20–26
God's glory is his great end, both in all the good and in all the evil which proceed out of the mouth of the Most High; so we find in these verses. 1. God will be glorified in the destruction of Zidon, a city that lay near to Tyre, was more ancient, but not so considerable, had a dependence upon it and stood and fell with it. God says here, I am against thee, O Zidon! and I will be glorified in the midst of thee, Eze 28:22. And again, "Those that would not know be gentler methods shall be made to know that I am the Lord, and I alone, and that I am a just and jealous God, when I shall have executed judgments in her, destroying judgments, when I shall have done execution according to justice and according to the sentence passed, and so shall be sanctified in her." The Zidonians, it should seem, were more addicted to idolatry than the Tyrians were, who, being men of business and large conversation, were less under the power of bigotry and superstition. The Zidonians were noted for the worship of Ashtaroth; Solomon introduced it, Kg1 11:5. Jezebel was daughter to the king of Zidon, who brought the worship of Baal into Israel (Kg1 16:31); so that God had been much dishonoured by the Zidonians. Now, says he, I will be glorified, I will be sanctified. The Zidonians were borderers upon the land of Israel, where God was known, and where they might have got the knowledge of him and have learned to glorify him; but, instead of that, they seduced Israel to the worship of their idols. Note, When God is sanctified he is glorified, for his holiness is his glory; and those whom he is not sanctified and glorified by he will be sanctified and glorified upon, by executing judgments upon them, which declare him a just avenger of his own and his people's injured honour. The judgments that shall be executed upon Zidon are war and pestilence, two wasting depopulating judgments, Eze 28:23. They are God's messengers, which he sends on his errands, and they shall accomplish that for which he sends them. Pestilence and blood shall be sent into her streets; there the dead bodies of those shall lie who perished, some by the plague, occasioned perhaps through ill diet when the city was besieged, and some by the sword of the enemy, most likely the Chaldean armies, when the city was taken, and all were put to the sword. Thus the wounded shall be judged; when they are dying of their wounds they shall judge themselves, and others shall say, They justly fall. Or, as some read it, They shall be punished by the sword, that sword which has commission to destroy on every side. It is God that judges, and he will overcome. Nor is it Tyre and Zidon only on which God would execute judgments, but on all those that despised his people Israel, and triumphed in their calamities; for this was now God's controversy with the nations that were round about them, Eze 28:26. Note, When God's people are under his correcting hand for their faults he takes care, as he did concerning malefactors that were scourged, that they shall not seem vile to those that are about them, and therefore takes it ill of those who despise them and so help forward the affliction when he is but a little displeased, Zac 1:15. God regards them even in their low estate; and therefore let not men despise them. 2. God will be glorified in the restoration of his people to their former safety and prosperity. God had been dishonoured by the sins of his people, and their sufferings too had given occasion to the enemy to blaspheme (Isa 52:5); but God will now both cure them of their sins and ease them of their troubles, and so will be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, will recover the honour of his holiness, to the satisfaction of all the world, Eze 28:25. For, (1.) They shall return to the possession of their own land again: I will gather the house of Israel out of their dispersions, in answer to that prayer (Psa 106:27), Save us, O Lord our God! and gather us from among the heathen; and in pursuance of that promise (Deu 30:4), Thence will the Lord thy God gather thee. Being gathered, they shall be brought in a body, to dwell in the land that I have given to my servant Jacob. God had an eye to the ancient grant, in bringing them back, for that remained in force, and the discontinuance of the possession was not a defeasance of the right. He that gave it will again give it. (2.) They shall enjoy great tranquillity there. When those that have been vexatious to them are taken off they shall live in quietness; there shall be no more a pricking brier nor a grieving thorn, Eze 28:24. They shall have a happy settlement, for they shall build houses, and plant vineyards; and they shall enjoy a happy security and serenity there; they shall dwell safely, shall dwell with confidence, and there shall be none to disquiet them or make them afraid, Eze 28:26. This never had full accomplishment in the body of that people, for after their return out of captivity they were ever and anon molested by some bad neighbour or other. Nor has the gospel-church been ever quite free from pricking briers and grieving thorns; yet sometimes the church has rest, and believers always dwell safely under the divine protection and may be quiet from the fear of evil. But the full accomplishment of this promise is reserved for the heavenly Canaan, when all the saints shall be gathered together, and every thing that offends shall be removed, and all griefs and fears for ever banished.
(Verse 20 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, set your face against Sidon and prophesy against it, and say: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Sidon, and I will be glorified in you. And they shall know that I am the Lord when I execute judgments in her and am sanctified in her. And I will send pestilence upon her and blood in her streets, and the slain shall fall in her midst, by the sword all around, and they shall know that I am the Lord. And there will no longer be a stumbling block of bitterness and a thorn inflicting pain in every direction for the house of Israel (or those who have insulted them). And they will know that I am the Lord their God. Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples (or from the nations) among whom they are scattered, I will be sanctified in them before the nations. And they will dwell in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob, and they will dwell there securely (or in hope). And they will build houses and plant vineyards, and they will dwell confidently (or in hope) when I execute judgments on all who oppose them (or have insulted them) on every side. And they will know that I am the Lord their God. And what follows, according to the Septuagint: And you, the God of their fathers, is not found in Hebrew. Furthermore, after Tyre, the speech turns to Sidon; for both cities are part of the same province. And in the Gospel, Tyre and Sidon are mentioned together: If the miracles which were done in you were done in Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 11:21). Therefore, even the Canaanite woman, whose daughter was possessed by a demon, because she came from the region of Tyre and Sidon, obtained what she had asked for (ibid., 15). But the divine word predicts that it will be taken captive by the Babylonians, and it will know the weight of its evils, that He Himself is the Lord: when He has judged it, and has been sanctified in it, and has consumed it with hunger and pestilence, and with the sword: so that it falls in its streets, and no longer becomes a stumbling block to the people of God, nor does it frequently attack them. But when this has been done, the people of Israel, whom He had dispersed into various nations, will return to their own land, and they will be sanctified in them, not for evil, as in Sidon, but for good, when He has shown mercy to them, and they will dwell in the land which He gave to their father Jacob, and they will dwell securely, and in the Lord they will trust, and they will build houses, and plant vineyards, when He has fulfilled His promises to them: and then they will know that He Himself is the Lord, whose promises are most firm. Many refer to the time of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, when the people of Israel returned and lived in the land of Judah. Others, however, hope for its fulfillment in the last time and in a thousand years. Moreover, according to spiritual understanding, this seems to have a symbolic meaning for us. Sidonians are interpreted as hunters, about whom it is also written in the Psalms: Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the snare of the hunters (Psalm 124:7). And in Proverbs: The eye of a harlot is the snare of a sinner (Prov. XXIII, 27). But there are also hunters on the good side, of whom Jeremiah writes: Behold, I will send fishermen and hunters, who will hunt you down from every hill and mountain (Jerem. XVI, 16): whom the Lord also sends to fish, and makes them fishers of men (Matth. IV). Hence the village of Peter and Andrew is called by this name: For Bethsaida in our language means 'the house of hunters'. Against these wretched hunters, the word of God is directed, and the prophet is commanded to set his face against Sidon and not waver in the wind of doctrine, but stand firm in the truth and destroy his hunters. So what is it that the Lord threatens against Sidon? Behold, I myself will come to you and be glorified in you when I destroy you, and all who live will know that I am the Lord when I repay you according to what you deserve. And I will send pestilence and blood into your streets. And rightly are they called streets of Sidon: for it is a wide and spacious road that leads to death (Matt. 7). And the slain will fall, those who stood evilly by the sword in a circle: by that sword which the Lord came to send upon the earth, so that He may separate what is improperly joined, and so that those who remain may know that He Himself is the Lord. And when they have ceased, there will no longer be any stumbling block of bitterness, nor a thorn that pierces and wounds the people of God. But all these things are said against the opposing powers, that they may be destroyed in the end time, and there may be eternal security when the Lord gathers the house of Israel, those who perceive God with understanding. And he will be sanctified in them, and that which is written will be fulfilled: Be holy, for I am holy (Leviticus 19:2). And they will dwell in their own land, as we read elsewhere: I believe in seeing the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 16:13). What Jacob gave, who had supplanted his brother earlier, and earned the primacy for himself. And they will dwell in it securely, either in hope, and they will build houses, plant vineyards, and dwell confidently in hope, according to what is read in Isaiah: Those who have been weaned from milk, those who have been taken away from the breast, expect tribulation upon tribulation, and hope upon hope (Isa. 60). But they will build houses, as also built in the Gospel, who established foundations not on sand, but on rock (Matt. 7). Of which it is written: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Ps. 127:1). And in Exodus, according to the Septuagint: Because the midwives feared the Lord, they built houses for themselves (Exod. 1:21), and many such things. But when the Lord executes judgment against those who oppose or inflict insults on Israel, all creatures will know that He is the Lord, whose judgments are true and justified in themselves.
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 28:23 presents a powerful divine oracle of judgment against the city of Tyre, detailing the comprehensive and devastating wrath that God will unleash upon it. This verse vividly describes a multi-faceted destruction encompassing widespread disease, intense bloodshed in public spaces, and a relentless military assault from all directions, resulting in significant casualties. The ultimate and profound purpose of this severe divine intervention is explicitly stated: to compel Tyre and all who witness its downfall to acknowledge and experientially know the absolute sovereignty, power, and unique identity of Yahweh, the LORD.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 28:23 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending and inescapable judgment. Imagery is central, with vivid and visceral descriptions of "pestilence," "blood into her streets," and "the sword upon her on every side," creating a palpable sense of widespread death, chaos, and destruction. This appeals directly to the reader's senses, making the prophecy's severity acutely felt. The phrase "blood into her streets" is a powerful example of metonymy, where "blood" stands for the violent deaths, carnage, and slaughter that will fill the city's public spaces. While the prophecy's historical fulfillments were devastatingly literal, the cumulative effect of these calamities might also suggest a degree of hyperbole to emphasize the totality and overwhelming nature of Tyre's downfall. Finally, the recurring declaration, "and they shall know that I am the LORD," functions as a powerful refrain throughout the book of Ezekiel, acting as a crucial theological marker that underscores the ultimate purpose of all divine action—the undeniable revelation of God's sovereign identity, power, and justice. This refrain provides a climactic and purposeful conclusion to the description of judgment, shifting the focus from the destruction itself to its profound divine intent.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 28:23 powerfully articulates the enduring biblical principle of divine judgment against human pride, self-exaltation, and rebellion, a theme woven throughout the entire tapestry of biblical narrative. It unequivocally demonstrates that God's absolute sovereignty extends over all nations and peoples, and He will not tolerate the hubris that denies His ultimate authority or attempts to usurp His divine prerogative. The severe judgment on Tyre serves as a stark and timeless reminder that material prosperity, perceived invincibility, or human ingenuity are no shield against the righteous wrath of the Almighty. Ultimately, the profound purpose of such judgment is not merely destruction but revelation—to ensure that all, even His adversaries, come to an undeniable, experiential knowledge of His identity as the LORD, the one true God. This judgment foreshadows a greater, final judgment where every knee will bow and every tongue confess His supreme Lordship.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While Ezekiel 28:23 describes a specific historical judgment on ancient Tyre, its profound spiritual principles remain eternally relevant for individuals, communities, and nations today. It challenges us to critically examine the true foundations of our security, identity, and worth. Do we, like ancient Tyre, succumb to the temptation of placing our ultimate trust in wealth, power, human wisdom, or self-sufficiency, becoming arrogant in our achievements and independent of divine guidance? Or do we humbly acknowledge God as the ultimate source of all blessings, the true arbiter of justice, and the sovereign Lord of all creation? This verse powerfully calls us to recognize that God's judgments, though often severe and terrifying, always serve a greater, redemptive purpose: to reveal His unchanging character, His omnipotent power, and His unblemished holiness, compelling us to "know that He is the LORD." This knowledge should not merely be intellectual assent but should lead to genuine repentance, profound humility, and a reverent fear of God, transforming our values and priorities to align with His divine will. It serves as a potent reminder that true and lasting security is found only in humble submission to His sovereignty, not in worldly might, material accumulation, or self-exaltation.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was the prophecy against Tyre in Ezekiel 28:23 literally fulfilled?
Answer: Yes, the prophecies against Tyre, including the specific elements described in Ezekiel 28:23, were remarkably and largely fulfilled through a combination of historical events. The prolonged 13-year siege by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon (c. 586-573 BC) significantly weakened the mainland city, leading to much bloodshed and destruction, though the island city remained formidable. The most decisive and devastating fulfillment came later with Alexander the Great's relentless siege in 332 BC, which involved building a causeway from the mainland to the island, resulting in its complete destruction, the slaughter of thousands of its inhabitants, and the enslavement of the survivors. This historical record aligns remarkably with the prophecy's vivid details of "pestilence," "blood into her streets," and judgment "by the sword upon her on every side," leading to the undeniable recognition of God's sovereignty.
What is the significance of the phrase "they shall know that I am the LORD" in Ezekiel?
Answer: The phrase "they shall know that I am the LORD" (Hebrew: yeda'u ki ani Yahweh) is a foundational and recurring theological motif in the book of Ezekiel, appearing over 60 times. It signifies that the ultimate purpose behind all of God's actions, whether in severe judgment or gracious salvation, is to reveal His true identity, His unparalleled power, and His unique, absolute sovereignty. It's not merely about intellectual knowledge, but a profound, experiential recognition and acknowledgment of His divine being and authority that leaves no room for doubt. In the context of judgment, as in Ezekiel 28:23, it means that even those who defy Him will be forced to concede His supremacy through the undeniable display of His power and justice. In contexts of restoration, such as Ezekiel 37:13, it signifies Israel's renewed understanding of God's faithfulness and covenant keeping. It is a divine declaration that God will ensure His name is hallowed and His nature understood by all creation.
How does Tyre's pride in Ezekiel 28 relate to its judgment?
Answer: Tyre's catastrophic judgment, as meticulously detailed in Ezekiel 28, is directly and inextricably linked to its profound pride and audacious self-exaltation. The "prince of Tyre" is depicted as claiming divine status, believing himself to be a god seated in the "seat of God" (Ezekiel 28:2). This hubris, stemming from Tyre's immense wealth, renowned wisdom, and commercial success, led to spiritual arrogance and a blatant denial of God's ultimate authority. The judgment, therefore, is God's righteous and severe response to this usurpation of His divine prerogative. It demonstrates that He will cast down those who exalt themselves against Him, affirming that true wisdom, power, and sovereignty belong solely to Him. The fall of Tyre serves as a powerful biblical illustration of the timeless principle that "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezekiel 28:23 describes a specific historical judgment against ancient Tyre, its underlying principles find their ultimate fulfillment and deepest redemptive meaning in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The judgment against Tyre for its profound pride, rebellion, and self-exaltation foreshadows the comprehensive judgment of sin and evil that was decisively accomplished at the cross. Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bore the full weight of God's righteous wrath against humanity's sin, including every manifestation of pride and self-exaltation, thereby offering a path to reconciliation and eternal life that Tyre's judgment could not provide. Furthermore, the declaration "they shall know that I am the LORD" points forward to the universal, eschatological acknowledgment of Christ's supreme Lordship. Philippians 2:10-11 powerfully proclaims that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." This ultimate revelation of God's sovereignty, first hinted at in judgment on rebellious nations, culminates in the glorification of Christ, through whom all things will be brought into submission—whether willingly in salvation or unwillingly in judgment—ensuring that all creation will ultimately "know" the one true God revealed in His Son. The final defeat of spiritual Tyre, or "Babylon the Great," in Revelation 18, is a further Christ-centered fulfillment, where the triumph of God's kingdom is realized through the Lamb's ultimate victory over all forms of human rebellion and pride.